- Mike McGavick
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Mike McGavick Personal details Born February 7, 1958 Political party Republican Occupation Corporate officer Religion Roman Catholic Michael S. "Mike" McGavick (born February 7, 1958, Seattle, Washington) is an American business executive and a graduate of the University of Washington.
McGavick was a Republican candidate for the US Senate seat held by Maria Cantwell in the 2006 election, but Cantwell retained her seat. In March 2008, Bermuda-based XL Capital announced that McGavick would take over as CEO beginning on May 1, 2008.[1]
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Professional life
McGavick is the CEO of Bermuda-based XL Capital Ltd, and former Chairman/President/CEO of the insurance company Safeco.
He served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Senator Slade Gorton and manager of Gorton's campaign in 1988. He later served as Director of the American Insurance Association's Superfund Improvement Project in Washington, D.C., where he was the American Insurance Association's lead negotiator in working to transform the nation's Superfund environmental laws. He was also a staff member of the Seattle-based Washington Roundtable, a non-partisan policy research group composed of the chief executive officers of the state's largest corporations.[citation needed]
McGavick was Senior Financial Officer for Continental Casualty Company (CNA)'s Commercial Lines Group, Vice President of CNA's New Ventures group, and President and Chief Operating Officer of CNA's largest operating department. The department, with $3.5 billion in annual revenues, provided the majority of CNA's commercial insurance products.[citation needed] It also was responsible for managing and strengthening CNA's relationship with its independent agent distribution system.[citation needed]
Safeco
McGavick was named "CEO of the Year" by the Puget Sound Business Journal in 2002.[2] On July 18, 2005, McGavick announced that effective August 31 he would step down as CEO of Safeco, but would remain on as Chairman until the end of 2005. McGavick explained that he expected "to give full consideration to the possibility of public service". On July 19, 2005, McGavick announced that he was forming an exploratory committee for a 2006 bid for the Washington United States Senate seat held by Maria Cantwell.
Family life
Born in 1958, Mike grew up in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood with two sisters, Molly and Meaghan. His parents, Joe and Carole, were active in local civics. He attended Seattle Preparatory School, an elite college prep school but did not complete his education. His father, Joe, served both in the State Legislature and on the State Liquor Control Board. Joe McGavick was the last Republican to serve the Wallingford neighborhood since the Great Depression.[3] McGavick has credited his father for sparking his interest in politics.[3]
McGavick's wife, Gaelynn, is an attorney by training who did not complete her education has experience in the arena of health care policy. The McGavick's have one son, Jack, attending the University of Virginia, and two younger sons, Gates and Marco.
Senate campaign
Main article: Washington United States Senate election, 2006McGavick makes "civility" a central campaign theme
In early January 2006, McGavick began his campaign full-time for the U.S. Senate, saying he would bring a "Northwestern voice of civility" to what he described as a culture of infighting in the nation's capital.[3]
For most of July, the McGavick campaigned traveled around the state in an RV, making stops in: Seattle, Sedro-Woolley, Oak Harbor, Anacortes, Bellingham, Friday Harbor, Port Angeles, Forks, Clallam Bay, Bremerton, Belfair, Satsop, Aberdeen, Raymond, South Bend, Seaview, Naselle, Cathlamet, Vancouver, Goldendale, Pateros, Brewster, Republic, Colville, Spokane, Pullman, Clarkston, Pomeroy, Dayton, Prosser, Ritzville, Moses Lake, Leavenworth, and Yakima, among others.[4]
Schwartzman v. McGavick
In August 2006, Safeco Insurance Co. shareholder Emma Schwartzman, the great, great granddaughter of one of the Safeco Corporation founders, filed a lawsuit[4] against him and the Safeco corporation, claiming that his $28 million salary upon leaving his job was fraudulent and wasteful.[5]
Knoll Lowney, a Seattle lawyer, represented Schwartzman.
Supported teaching intelligent design
In an August 2006 interview, McGavick said intelligent design should be taught in public schools and that it is appropriate to be taught in science class despite the 2005 court ruling prohibiting it.[6]
Timeline of 2006 Senate race
On October 26, 2005, Mike McGavick announced on KIRO Radio that he was an official candidate in the 2006 Senate race.
In the May 2006 edition of the Weekly Standard, McGavick made the argument that Iran should be banned from the FIFA World Cup due to its nuclear weapons research program and statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that deny the truthfulness of the holocaust (which is a criminal offense in the 2006 World Cup host country, Germany).[7]
On April 26, 2006, the Washington State Democratic Party filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging that the $17 million severance in cash and accelerated stock options given to him by Safeco amounted to an illegal campaign contribution to his Senate campaign. The FEC dismissed the case, stating, "The commission concluded that these payments were ordinary employment-related compensation made irrespective of Mr. McGavick's candidacy."[8]
References
- ^ McGavick named CEO at XL Capital
- ^ McGavick named "CEO of the Year"
- ^ a b The Seattle Times: "Local News: Father was taproot for McGavick's grounding in politics"
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ "McGavick Caters to Religious Conservatives, Backs Teaching Intelligent Design in Public Schools" Josh Feit. The Stranger. August 10/August 16, 2006
- ^ The Weekly Standard May 2006 edition in re Iran
- ^ "FEC dismisses complaint by Democrats on McGavick"
External links
Party political offices Preceded by
Slade GortonRepublican nominee for United States Senator from Washington
(Class 1)
2006Succeeded by
Most recent
(Next election: 2012)Categories:- 1958 births
- American financial businesspeople
- American chief executives
- American Roman Catholics
- American people of Irish descent
- Living people
- People from Seattle, Washington
- Washington (state) Republicans
- University of Washington alumni
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